


Gift Horse

by SargentCorn



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Based off an interaction you can have in game, Eliza/Arthur Morgan is present, Fluff, Gen, but like as a memory Arthur crushes down
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:21:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23123164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SargentCorn/pseuds/SargentCorn
Summary: He heard the woman’s voice cry out on his way back towards Valentine. Up ahead, he saw a woman pinned under a dead horse, and his heart squeezed at the sight. Arthur had been pinned under dead horses before. It wasn’t the best situation someone could be in. Especially a solo traveler.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	Gift Horse

**Author's Note:**

> I was playing and ran into the woman that's trapped under the horse. Here's something I wish I could do if I had an extra horse with me.

He heard the woman’s voice cry out on his way back towards Valentine. Up ahead, he saw a woman pinned under a dead horse, and his heart squeezed at the sight. Arthur had been pinned under dead horses before. It wasn’t the best situation someone could be in. Especially a solo traveler.

Slowing both of his horses, he dismounted from the newly broken horse he was riding. “Ma’am, what happened?” he asked moving towards the front of the dead horse. Her eyes brightened when he knelt next to her. Clearly happy to see someone who was going to help.

“My friend’s horse up and died on me. Please help me, sir.” Giving her a quick polite smile, Arthur pushed the horse’s corpse up as far as he could go. The woman scooted from under when he lifted high enough for her to do so. Once free from the body, Arthur helped her up, and she rushed forward to hug him. Words felt heavy in his mouth when she hugged him, and he gently pushed her away. “Thank you,” she said before kneeling by the horse. “Oh, what will I tell Mildred?”

“Mildred?” Arthur asked softly before he could stop himself.

“My friend who let me borrow her horse.”

“Ah.” Arthur swallowed, before asking, “Do you need a ride home? We can saddle up Champion, and you can ride him back.” Her head snapped to him, and a smile appeared on her face. Swiftly she got up to shake his hand.

“That would be wonderful, sir. Do you know where Valentine is?” Another smile appeared on his face, and he felt the need to scratch his face. On cue, his hand scratched his chin.

“I happened to be headed that way, so…”

“So it seems I was in luck coming across you, sir.” She held her hand out. “I’m Elizabeth.” He shook it.

“Arthur.” Letting go, Arthur began to unsaddle the horse. “Let’s get this on Champion so you can ride him. The other horse there, uh, he’s freshly broke. So not a good idea for you to ride him.”

“No, probably not,” Elizabeth agreed petting the paint’s nose. Silence descended on them as Arthur slowly inched the girth from under the dead horse. Once free from the weight of the horse, he gathered it, with the saddle blanket nestled under the tree, and saddled Champion. Next, he took off the bridle, quickly gave the dead horse a pat, before bridling Champion. And to be safe so Elizabeth wouldn't get hurt again, he checked all the straps one more time before stepping back.

“Ma’am.” He gestured to Champion and helped her mount. Arthur mounted his unruly paint and led the woman back to Valentine. On their way back, he listened to her talk about some rich man and providing her and her child food and board. It didn’t sound true, and he told her that. She agreed saying she couldn’t demiss offers no strange they sounded.

They rode into Valentine side by side. Elizabeth agreed to lead him to her friend’s house so they could return the saddle and bridle to Mildred. She led him past the sheriff’s office, and towards one of the houses on the hilly slope. And outside one of them stood a woman and a little boy. Arthur guessed it was Mildred and Elizabeth’s boy. He had to swallow the tight feeling in chest seeing Elizabeth interact with the boy and Mildred.

“And who’s this?” Mildred commented squinting at Arthur. “You look mighty familiar.” Arthur coughed and rubbed the back of his neck.

“That’s the man who had that fight with Tommy,” A male voice sounded from the porch.

“Oh! You are!”

“Yeah, I… just found Miss Elizabeth out by Emerald Ranch. Thought I’d help her get home,” Arthur said wanting to divert the conversation away from his bar fight. “You horse collapsed and died on her, I’m afraid. My apologies, ma’am.” Mildred and the other male sighed softly.

“Thank you, sir,” Mildred said walking up to him. “How can we pay for at least bringing Elizabeth back? We owe you that much. While a horse is important, a son needs his mother.” Arthur waved her off another wave of emotion coming to his chest. Too many memories of another woman he cared for.

“It was nothing, Miss. For that kind of thing, I don’t need the money.” He paused then looked at Champion. The words were out of his mouth before he stop them. “Why don’t you take Champion? He’s been a good horse for the little time I’ve had him, but I need something better for what I do. You need more him than I do.”

“Sir, we couldn’t,” Mildred tried before he stopped her.

“Please. It’s fine, ma’am, sir. It would make… me feel better to know Miss Elizabeth doesn’t have to work harder to pay you back. As you said, a son needs his mother.” Mildred stepped back and nodded. The man, her husband he suspected, took the reins.

“Thank you, sir,” The husband said.

“Of course.” He shifted to look at Elizabeth. “You take care, ma’am.”

“You too, Arthur. Thank you!” With a tight smile, he waved before kicking his horse towards Horseshoe Outlook. His chest felt tight, and he needed to get away.


End file.
